It is pretty cool how things are working out. I was introduced to a guy down here that started his own commercial vegetable production. He is only a couple of seasons into it but already he has an established clientele and operation.
Currently he has two green houses and a couple of outdoor shade gardens. One green house is set up as a germinating facility used to start the seedlings. The other green house is set up with vertical growing boxes about seven high per pole. (21 deep 6 rows) This type of growing perfect for a high yield of greens.
Because pesticide and chemical free greens are so difficult to get down here and water is so scarce during the dry months this is a wonderful set up for mass production.
The full scale production will put out just under 700 heads of lettuce per week. With a four week turn around on lettuce, greens are a perfect crop for this set-up. The one problem is that most greens want a cold environment and you are limited to what you can grow in the tropics.
They are also currently growing tomatoes and basil outside of the green houses under a shade cloth.
I began consulting him on how to increase production and how to start developing his own organic soil, i.e.,compost. The owner asked if I would be interested in spending time at the farm and helping him get his operation to the next level.
Next week we are going to build a few compost systems, as well as some vermiposting units. The following week we are going to build some fish tanks and start breeding our own Tilapia for natural nutrients to introduce to the hydroponic system.
I was trying to figure out how to grow veggies form my family, and now I am working two days a week at a natural farm. I must admit that we are all very thankful.
Are you kidding, George’s is growing food in styrofoam, it is POISON! Do some research, he is also ruining all the water that flows thru those white styrofoam containers..IT IS NOT GOOD FOR HUMANS OR THE EARTH…
Please remember that Costa Rica uses more pesticides per capita than any other country in the Americas, anyone growing vegetables down here that is not using pesticides is on the right path.
I agree styrofoam grow containers and hydroponics are the not the best possible grow solutions around, however with the amount of insects and lack of water in the dry season, pesticide free natural hydroponics is a step in the right direction. Especially considering it only uses 10% of the water that a normal garden would require with ZERO run-off. Currently the only pesticide free vegetables in the area are shipped here by truck and ferry releasing harmful poisons in the air, soil and oceans for transportation alone.
The lesser of two evils is often of opinion and relative.
I deal with this often when building aquaponic systems, even food grade plastic is not great for humans as toxins still do leak into the systems. But most people can not install a natural lake or a cement pond to store their fish or vegetables, so a compromise has to be made.
The average person is looking for a simple solution, something better than what is at the grocery store. It is the close-minded that hinder many of the laymen from learning how to grow their own food naturally. It appears as if their ego gets in the way of finding solutions – instead they only point out problems.
The one common truth is that it is much easier to sit back and throw mud at what somebody has built than to build it on your own. Politicians have taught us that it is even easier when you get to use false accusations.
If you have a problem with Georges I would recommend trying to solve it by manifesting LOVE and working towards making things better.
If you have a better solution for purchasing pesticide free greens, avocados, oranges and limes in the area please by all means share it with us.
Having struggled unsuccessfully to grow a vegetable garden near Playa Garza, I’m very impressed with your results. I’ve got great soil on my little finca, goats and a horse for manure, but this past summer’s winds, the armadillos, iguanas, and the heat were a real challenge. I now have my garden plot enclosed with corrugated metal panels and plan to wrap it in shade cloth when I return to CR in September. I’m also planning to bring some heat resistant seeds from the states and try again. My biggest problem is the lack of a timetable for starting plants. Tomatoes for instance. . .when should I sow the seeds? I’ve asked local tico farmers about growing vegetables and was told it’s not part of the Guanacoste culture! Any help would be appreciated.